Device for Separating out Radioisotope Thallium-201

ABSTRACT

Disclosed is a device for separating radioisotope thallium-201. The device includes an evaporation unit for a solution vial, a first glass vial connected to a first valve and a second valve, an ion exchange column connected to a third valve, a second glass vial connected to a fourth valve and a fifth valve, a collection vial for receiving solution from the fifth valve, a product vial with a membrane filter and a vacuum unit connected to the first valve, the fourth valve and a sixth valve. This device can separate out high-concentration thallium-201 solution from which radioisotope thallium-201 can be obtained.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

1. Field of Invention

The present invention relates to a device for separating outradioisotope thallium-201 and, more particularly, to a device forseparating out high-concentration radioisotope thallium-201.

2. Related Prior Art

Thallium-201 hallous chloride can be absorbed by and collected inmyocardium fast so that it can not only be used in myocardial imagingfor diagnosing heart diseases but also in tumor imaging and otherdiagnosis. Therefore, thallium-201 is one of the most popularradioisotopes in the nuclear medicine.

As discussed in Qaim S. M., Weinreich R. and Ollig H., Production ofTl-201 and Pb203 via Proton Induced Nuclear Reaction on NaturalThallium, International Journal of Applied Radiation and Isotopes, 30(1979), pp. 85-95, thallium-201 is obtained by washing which inevitablygets impurities in the thallium-201. Therefore, the purity of theresultant thallium-201 is low.

Therefore, the present invention is intended to obviate or at leastalleviate the problems encountered in prior art.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

It is the primary objective of the present invention to provide a devicefor separating out high-concentration radioisotope thallium-201.

To achieve the foregoing objective, the device includes an evaporationunit for containing at least one solution vial, a first glass vial, afirst valve connected to the first glass vial, a second valve connectedto the first glass vial, an ion exchange column connected to the secondvalve, a third valve connected to the ion exchange column, a secondglass vial, a fourth valve connected to the second glass vial, a fifthvalve connected to the second glass vial, a collection vial forreceiving solution from the fifth valve, a product vial for receivingsolution from the fifth valve, a membrane filter for filtering thesolution before it reaches the product vial, a sixth valve connected tothe product vial opposite to the membrane filter, and a vacuum unitconnected to the first, fourth and sixth valves.

Other objectives, advantages and features of the present invention willbecome apparent from the following description referring to the attacheddrawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

The present invention will be described via detailed illustration of thepreferred embodiment referring to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a device for separating out radioisotopethallium-201 according to the preferred embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the device in another position than shownin FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown a device for separating outradioisotope thallium-201 according to the preferred embodiment of thepresent invention. The device includes an evaporation unit 1 for asolution vial, a first glass vial 2 connected to a first valve 21 and asecond valve 22, an ion exchange column 3 connected to a third valve 31,a second glass vial 4 connected to a fourth valve 41 and a fifth valve42, a collection vial 5 for receiving solution from the fifth valve 42,a product vial 6 equipped with a membrane filter 61 and a vacuum unit 7connected to the first valve 21, the fourth valve 41 and a sixth valve62. This device can separate out high-concentration thallium-201 liquidfrom which radioisotope thallium-201 can be obtained. The solution vialreceives solution from the third valve 31. The product vial 6 receivessolution from the collection vial 5. The membrane filter 61 membranefilters out bacteria and impurities from the solution from thecollection vial 5.

Referring to FIG. 2, thallium-201 liquid and 1.2N HCl (SO₂) are filledinto a first solution vial 11 before the first solution vial 11 isdisposed in the evaporation unit 1. The first valve 21 is opened toallow air to be sucked into the vacuum unit 7 from the first glass vial2 and the mixture of the thallium-201 with the HCl (SO₂) into the firstglass vial 2 from the solution vial 11. The first valve 21 is shut againafter an adequate amount of mixture is fed into the first glass vial 2.

Then, the second valve 22 is opened to allow the mixture to travel intothe ion exchange column 3 from the first glass vial 2. Resin is used toconduct ion exchange. Then, the second valve 22 is shut while the thirdvalve 31 is opened to allow the solution to travel into a secondsolution vial 12 disposed in the evaporation unit 1 after the ionexchange.

Subsequently, saline is filled into the second solution vial 12, and thefourth valve 41 is opened to allow air to be sucked into the vacuum unit7 from the second solution vial 12 and the solution to be fed into thesecond glass vial 4 from the second solution vial 12. After an adequateamount of solution is fed into the second glass vial 4, the fourth valve41 is closed again while the fifth valve 42 is opened to allow thesolution to travel into the collection vial 5 from the second glass vial4.

Finally, the sixth valve 61 is opened to allow air to be sucked into thevacuum unit 7 from the product vial 6 and the solution to be fed intothe product vial 6 from the collection vial 5. With the membrane filter61, bacteria and impurities are membrane filtered from the solution onthe way into the product vial 6. Thus, high-concentration thallium-201solution is collected in the product vial 6. Thallium-201 can beobtained from the thallium-201 solution.

With the device of the present invention, lead-201 solution can beseparated out from thallium-203 solid target material fast. By decay andion exchange, the lead-201 solution can be converted into radioisotopethallium-201 solution.

The present invention has been described via the detailed illustrationof the preferred embodiment. Those skilled in the art can derivevariations from the preferred embodiment without departing from thescope of the present invention. Therefore, the preferred embodimentshall not limit the scope of the present invention defined in theclaims.

1. A device for separating out radioisotope thallium-201 comprising: anevaporation unit for containing at least one solution vial; a firstglass vial; a first valve connected to the first glass vial; a secondvalve connected to the first glass vial; an ion exchange columnconnected to the second valve; a third valve connected to the ionexchange column; a second glass vial; a fourth valve connected to thesecond glass vial; a fifth valve connected to the second glass vial; acollection vial for receiving solution from the fifth valve; a productvial for receiving solution from the fifth valve; a membrane filter forfiltering the solution before it reaches the product vial; a sixth valveconnected to the product vial opposite to the membrane filter; and avacuum unit connected to the first, fourth and sixth valves.
 2. Thedevice according to claim 1, wherein solution is transferred into thesolution vial from the third valve.